A British actor with an extensive theatre, television and film repertoire.

He began his working life as a newspaper reporter. He was conscripted in 1946 and started acting in the army. He won a scholarship to study at the Old Vic Theatre School and became a professional in 1950, as a member of the company which reopened the Old Vic after WWII.

He has appeared in hundreds of TV productions including Emmerdale Farm, Casualty, Z-Cars, Coronation Street and Foyle's War. He has appeared 4 times in the Doctor Who series in various roles, most notably as Saladin in the classic Doctor Who story The Crusade in 1965, alongside William Hartnell and Julian Glover. He also appeared in the serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964), The Faceless Ones (1967) and Colony in Space (1971).

His most famous film appearance was as a Bolshevik leader in Doctor Zhivago (1965). He has also acted extensively on the stage, including An Inspector Calls (Garrick Theatre).

He was married to Patricia Haines (first wife of Michael Caine) from 1963 until her death in 1977.